Study of the cardiac arrhythmias by the ultrasonic Doppler method.

The Doppler tracing is a sensitive method for depicting movement of the heart wall, valves, and blood flow. This communication reports the authors' experience with the Doppler method in normal persons and patients with various cardiac arrhythmias. Three main components are recognized in the Doppler tracing: the presystolic component, a; component v, due to systolic movement of the ventricles; and component Vd corresponding to the movement of ventricles during early diastole. Evidence is presented that component a is due to atrial contraction. This has been substantiated in this study by the simultaneous recording of the Doppler tracing with the electrocardiogram, phonocardiogram, apex cardiogram, jugular venous tracing, right atrial